1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a KVM switch which is connected between a computer and peripheral devices such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor, as well as a KVM system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been known a KVM (K: keyboard, V: video, M: mouse) switch including a terminal emulator which is connected between a plurality of servers and peripheral devices such as a mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,567,869).
The KVM switch converts communication data output from a communication port (e.g. a serial port, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) port, or the like) of selected server into analog video data, and outputs the analog video data to the monitor. That is, the KVM switch can switch the communication data output from one of the plurality of servers to communication data output from another server, and display the switched communication data as an analog image on the monitor.
When the KVM switch is used, video outputs from the plurality of servers are switched, and hence a user cannot watch the pieces of video data together.
Conventionally, there has been known a KVM switch including a module which has a plurality of ports for connecting a plurality of servers (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2005-18135). The KVM switch has the plurality of modules as described above.
Further, conventionally, there has been known a KVM switch in which a remote-controlling side can operate a computer provided at a local side (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2007-34376). When the computer is operated from the remote-controlling side, the KVM switch is configured so as to notify the local side at which the computer is provided of the operation from the remote-controlling side to the computer.
However, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,567,869, and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Nos. 2005-18135 and 2007-34376, a single video output from each server is output to a remote terminal by using a KVM switch, and hence a plurality of KVM switches are required to realize a multi-monitor environment.